Troy University is gaining state and national recognition for a workforce development model that expands traditional ideas of work-based learning to include entrepreneurship.
In the same week, Troy University’s Small Business Development Center was invited to present its Start Your Business program at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s Just Economy Conference in Washington, D.C., and at the Alabama Summit on Talent Retention and Work-Based Learning in Birmingham.
The invitations spotlight the university’s efforts to position entrepreneurship as a structured workforce pathway that includes education, mentorship and long-term support.
“Entrepreneurship is often overlooked in workforce development conversations, but starting and sustaining a business requires the same kind of intentional learning and support as any traditional career path,” said Juliana Bolivar, director of the SBDC at Troy University. “Through Start Your Business, we are helping participants build practical skills, confidence and a support network so they can see business ownership as an achievable and sustainable opportunity.”
Developed in 2022 through Troy University’s SBDC in partnership with the Alabama Department of Human Resources and the Sorrell College of Business, the Start Your Business program was designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs — particularly those facing economic barriers — gain access to the foundational guidance needed to launch a business.
Unlike rigid business training programs, Troy University created a flexible model that can be delivered in five to 20 sessions in person, online or in hybrid formats. The curriculum combines business basics, mentorship, accountability and modern tools, including AI-supported learning.
Bolivar said that flexibility has been key to helping participants remain engaged.
“We designed the program to meet participants where they are,” she said. “Many of them are balancing jobs, caregiving responsibilities and transportation challenges. By making the training adaptable and practical, we are creating a pathway that allows them to stay engaged and move toward business ownership.”
The model is showing strong results. In the first cycle of this year, the program enrolled 40 participants and averaged 33 participants per session — a high engagement rate for a population often facing significant barriers to participation.
Program leaders say the initiative is more than a class. It includes continued outreach, mentorship, make-up sessions and post-program support through the Start Your Business Collective, creating an ecosystem designed to sustain progress beyond the formal training period.
Although the program was initially developed to serve SNAP Employment and Training participants through the A-RESET program, Troy University has since adapted the framework to serve other underserved groups, including caregivers, youth and incarcerated women.
That adaptability has helped draw broader attention to the program. Alabama is one of 18 states integrating entrepreneurship into SNAP Employment and Training initiatives, and Troy University’s work has become a key example of how that model can succeed.
The recent presentations in Washington and Birmingham highlighted the university’s growing role in shaping conversations around economic mobility, workforce development and entrepreneurship.
“As more communities look for ways to expand economic opportunity, programs like Start Your Business demonstrate that entrepreneurship can be a powerful workforce solution,” Bolivar said. “We are proud that Troy University is helping lead that conversation both in Alabama and across the country.”
University leaders say the program reflects Troy University’s commitment to building innovative, community-focused solutions that create opportunity and expand access to workforce pathways.
Through Start Your Business, the university is helping redefine workforce development — showing that entrepreneurship can serve as a viable route to economic mobility for individuals and communities alike.
